Nevis and St. Kitts (Hansard, 5 May 1969)

§ 3. Mr. Marten
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking, in discharge of our constitutional responsibilities for defence and external affairs, to keep himself informed of the internal affairs in the islands of Nevis and St. Kitts.

§ The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Michael Stewart)
I am kept informed of the situation in the Associated State of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla by the British Government Representative in the Associated States.

§ Mr. Marten
As the real issue, as the Foreign Secretary told us in the debate on Anguilla, is that Anguilla was faced with corrupt tendencies in its administration, backed up by intimidation, is the Foreign Secretary not aware that the same may be said of St. Kitts? Why, therefore, do we have one policy towards Anguilla and another policy towards St. Kitts?

§ Mr. Stewart
It is not Her Majesty's Government's view that the condition in the two islands is the same.

§ 33. Mr. Fisher
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government of St. Kitts have now agreed to revise the Associated State Agreement in order to permit the secession of Anguilla from the State.

§ Mr. M. Stewart
I take it that the hon. Gentleman has in mind the St. Christopher, Nevis and Anguilla Agreement, 1967. Nothing has been agreed between 4 Her Majesty's Government and the Government of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla about the revision of the Agreement.

§ Mr. Fisher
Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that it is now unlikely that Anguilla will ever return voluntarily to association with St. Kitts, and that it would be unwise for either the British or the St. Kitts' Government to force the Anguillans to do so? If he agrees on that, will he seek an appropriate time to negotiate with Mr. Bradshaw the judicial secession of Anguilla from the Associated State?

§ Mr. Stewart
I do not think that I should move from the position that I have previously expressed, that it is not our purpose to force upon the Anguillans any régime that they do not want. Beyond that, at this stage we must not try to pronounce what the settlement will be. A good deal of time and thought will be needed before we can be precise about that.

§ Mr. Eldon Griffiths
On a point of order. Before we leave the Anguillan question—[Interruption.] Am I to understand that I should raise my point of order at the end of Questions?

§ Mr. Speaker
Yes. That would be better.